Finance

German Authorities Missed $5 Billion Bitcoin Stash Linked to Movie2K? Arkham Report Reveals New Findings

Germany may have missed $5B in Bitcoin from Movie2K. Authorities need to prove links to seize it.

September 8, 2025, 10:42 AM

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Executive Summary

Crypto intelligence platform Arkham reported that German authorities may have overlooked over 45,000 Bitcoin, valued at nearly $5 billion, linked to the Movie2K piracy website.

This newly identified cache is almost equivalent to the 50,000 Bitcoin previously seized and sold by German police in early 2024, which generated approximately $2.8 billion.

German authorities would need to legally prove the Bitcoin’s connection to illicit activities in court before any new seizure could be executed, potentially leading to significant legal hurdles and delays.

The Story So Far

German authorities have an ongoing effort to confiscate assets linked to the notorious piracy website Movie2K, having already seized and sold nearly 50,000 Bitcoin earlier this year, but face legal requirements to formally prove the illicit origin of any newly identified funds before they can be legally seized.

Why This Matters

The potential discovery of an additional nearly $5 billion in Bitcoin linked to the Movie2K piracy site highlights a significant oversight by German authorities in tracing illicit digital assets, nearly doubling the previously seized amount. This revelation not only points to a substantial amount of unrecovered proceeds from criminal activity but also suggests considerable legal hurdles for future seizure, as authorities would need to rigorously prove the Bitcoin’s illicit origins in court, underscoring the ongoing challenges in combating crypto-related financial crime.

Who Thinks What?

Arkham, a crypto intelligence platform, claims to have identified over 45,000 Bitcoin, worth nearly $5 billion, still in wallets belonging to the Movie2K piracy site that German authorities have not yet seized or mentioned.

German authorities previously seized and sold nearly 50,000 Bitcoin linked to Movie2K, generating $2.8 billion, and would now face legal challenges to prove the illicit origin of any newly identified Bitcoin before a seizure could be executed.

German authorities may have overlooked a significant cache of Bitcoin, potentially worth nearly $5 billion, linked to the notorious piracy website Movie2K, according to a recent report by crypto intelligence platform Arkham. The discovery by Arkham on Friday suggests that over 45,000 Bitcoin (BTC) remain in wallets associated with Movie2K, a sum almost equivalent to the amount previously seized and sold by German police last year.

Arkham’s Findings

Arkham reported identifying 45,060 BTC that it claims are “still in wallets belonging to Movie2K” and are “connected to earlier Movie2K movements and addresses.” The platform noted that German authorities had not previously mentioned this particular stash, nor was it included in the sales conducted in mid-2024.

At Bitcoin’s current trading price of just under $111,000, these holdings are valued at approximately $4.99 billion. This figure would have been even higher, reaching nearly $5.6 billion, during Bitcoin’s peak of $124,128 in mid-August.

Previous Seizure and Sale

Earlier in January 2024, German police successfully seized nearly 50,000 BTC tied to the same piracy site. Prosecutors subsequently sold 49,858 Bitcoin at an average price of $57,900 across various sales in June and July 2024, generating roughly $2.8 billion.

Just months after these sales, Bitcoin’s value saw a substantial rally. By mid-November, the cryptocurrency surpassed $90,000, further escalating to over $100,000 in December. Had the authorities held onto the previously seized Bitcoin, its value would have exceeded $5 billion at the later price points, representing a 75% increase from the average sale price.

Legal Hurdles for Seizure

The potential next steps for German authorities regarding Arkham’s findings remain unclear. Should police decide to pursue the seizure of this newly identified Bitcoin, they would be required to legally demonstrate its connection to Movie2K.

Local laws mandate that authorities must prove in court that the Bitcoin in question originated from illicit activities before any seizure can be legally executed. This process could introduce significant legal challenges and delays for the German government.